.-
'W
The Commoner.
'APRl 13, 1966
' youth. A Filipino boy who was working in tho
home of an English woman notified his mistress
ihat he wanted to go to school. Being anxious
tp, keep him, she offered to raise his wages from
twenty pesos per month to forty, hut he rejected
Che offer, saying that he loved wisdom more than
ho loved money.
Besides tho public schools, primary, second
ary, Industrial and normal, there are a number
of religious schools. The Jesuits had their schools
and colleges under Spanish occupation, one of
the boys' schools which we visited at Cebu being
older than Harvard University. The Catholic
Bisters also have numerous girls' schools throug
out the islands. At Manila the Jesuits have an
observatory and weather bureau which for equip
ment and scientific accuracy probably has no su
perior anywhere.
The Protestant churches are also establish
ing schools, some of them industrial. Who will
measure the effect upon coming generations of
these multiplying agencies for tho training of the
boys and glrla of the Philippines?
The northerE islands are ' inhabited by a
Christian population. Whatever may be said of
the governmental methods of Spain or of the
political corruption of her colonial representa
tives, sh established the Christian faith in the
islands. Prior to American occupation the higher
officials of the church and many of the priests
were Spanish, but since 1900 American and Fili
pino bishops and priests are being substituted.
Under the lead of Archisbop Harty the work of
the church is being vigorously pushed and a large
number of baptisms are reported. Several of the
Protestant churches are gaining a foothold, there
being upwards of ten thousand Filipinos enrolled
-in the evangelical churches. The Presbyterian
church of the Tondo district, Manila, has some
thing like four hundred natives, Senor Buenca
mino, secretary of state under Aguinaldo, and
afterwards a member of the civil service commis
sion, being president of the Tondo congrega
tion. . No discussion of the religious situation in
the Philippines would be complete without a ref
ence to the independent Catholic church of which
Senor Gregorio Aglipay is the head. "Obispo Max
imo" Aglipay is a native Filipino, 46 years, old
-witlran intelligent face and fine presence. In three
nd a half years he has established a church with
some three hundred' priests and about seven hun
dred congregations. . He claims a membership of
about four million, but the clergy of the regular
Catholic church do not concede nearly so large a
following. In fact, they, deny that he has made
any considerable impression upon the Catholic
population and as there is no accurate church
census, it is Impossible to say in- what proportion
the Catholic membership is divided between these
two church organizations.
As to tbe honesty of the average Filipino,
different opinions are to be heard from American,
but we are told that less care was taken to lock
the doors than in America, which 'would indicate
less fear of burglary. The Philippine court rec
ords would embarrass us if we became too harsh
in our reflections upon the integrity of the Fili
pino, for during the years 1902-3-4-5 thirty office
holding Americans were found guilty of shortages
and defalcations, the total amount embezzled ex
ceeding seventhy thousand dollars, gold. Bilibid
prison at Manila is the penitentiary for the north
ern islands and most (I think all) who receive
more than a jail sentence are confined here. There
are now about forty-six hundred prisoners in Bill
bid, nearly eleven hundred serving terms for
brigandage, insurrection, rebellion and sedition,
the remainder for other crimes. If the convicts
average a year's sentence each, the number of
natives sent to the penitentiary during four years
would have to be about twenty-five thousand to
give the native population a criminal class equal
to the proportion which the thirty convicted
Americans bear to the -entire American popula
tion in the islands, and it must be remembered
tha,t the defalcations have been among Americans
selected because of their supposed character and
capacity. There have been many defalcations
among the fiscal officers appointed among the
natives, but not knowing the total number of tho
Filipinos occupying fiduciary positions and the
number of Americans occupying similar positions,
I can not make a comparison. Our chief consol
ation is to be found in the fact that. Americans
guilty of dishonesty have been promptly punished
hy the American officials, but this does not entire
ly remove the stain which their conduct has
brought upon our nation's good name.
. -I can not conclude this article without ex
pressing my appreciation of the courtesy shown
me by Acting Governor Ide, Secretary Furguson,
the members of the Philippine commission and
the other officials, civil and military. They were
alU-willing to furnish information,- - records and
statistics regarding the things done under Amer
ican authority. While mistakes havo boon mado,
some of them expensive; while there have been
outrages by the constabulary (which is-merely a
native army officered by Americans and serving
under another name) and whilo there have been
instances of seeming partiality to Americans
where a conflict has occurred between theni and
natives, I believe that tho serious evils to be com
plained of are not personal but are inherent in a
colonial system and can not bo eradicated so long
as such a system is maintained.
The greatest need that I noted in the islands
is an Increase in what wo call the middle class,
but this need is noticeable in tho other Spanish
colonies which I havo visited and will be correct
ed as education Increases among tho masses.
With more education among tho farmers there
will be Improved methods of agriculture, and with
more' education among tho artisans will come di
versification of industry. This middle class will
bo a balanco wheel, as it wore, to regulate tho
machinery of society, and it will furnish a public
opinion which will control official representatives.
Copyright.
,
THE LONG AMENDMENT
Senator Long's proposed amendment to tho
railroad rate bill would make it possible 'for the
order of the commission to be suspended by ihe
circuit court and to be so held'ln abeyance until
tho final determination ' of the case. This Is
directly at variance with the position Mr. Roose
velt has all along taken. All supporters of rail
way rate legislation havo emphasized tho import
ance of putting the rate fixed by the commis
sion in effect and keeping it in effect until the
final decision. If the rate may be suspended
then the railroad company will not 'bo con
cerned for speedy determination or the case. On
the contrary, delay will be to its interests, and
the shipper In that case will be worn out by the
litigation with the powerful corporation.
It is charged that the Long amendment was
agreed upon at a White House conference, and
because of that fact it is known in some quar
ters as the Roosevelt amendment, it is adhilt
ted that Mr. Roosevelt approves the amend
ment, and it itf Indeed regrettable. Mr. Roose
velt has had the support of men of all parties
in his campaign for railway rate legislation. Ac
cording to his own testimony, the very point
which he seemB now to have yielded is an all
important point, and If the bill as passed shall
contain a provision similar to the one contained
in the Long amendment, or the Rooseyelt amend
ment, then the campaign for railroad legisla
tion commenced under auspicious condltons will
terminate in one of the most disgraceful fiascos
in American .history.
Senator Bailey has, we think, made It clear
that congress has tho power to forbid the sus
pension of this rate by the lower courts, and
because it is of the highest Importance that tho
rate go Immediately into effect and remain in
effect until final decision, the Bailey amendment
or something like it should be adopted. Mr.
Roosevelt and all other men who would havo
the people believe them to be serious in the matter-of
railroad reform ought to strive for tho
enactment of a law that will give adequate pro
tection to the shipper and material relief to tho
public. "
JJJ
ORGANIZATION
William Looser -of Greenville, Pa., writing
to The Commoner says: "Allow me to say that
you cannot give too much space- in pointing out
to democracy's rank and file the necessity of
everyone doing his duty at tho primaries by
personally seeing to it that the men who are
chosen for office are men distinguished by their
disassociation with the corporate and financial
interests who pa'rtially succeeded In 1904 and
who now aim, especially here in the east, to
make of tho democratic party like the repub
lican party an organized lobby for the oppres
sors and despoilers of the- people. If you can
arouse democracy's rank and file to a realization
of the fact that democracy's worst enemies are
today, as they ever have been, of its own house
hold, there will be something doing."
It is not only a citizen's privilege to vote,
but it is his duty to vote; and the citizen's duty
Is not discharged when ho absents himself from
his party's primaries and is content with cast
ing his vote for the ticket named and the policy
adopted by the comparatively small number of
men. who, having special interests at stake, are
active, and-diligent where men whose interest is
only In tho general , welfare are indifferent or
negligent. It Is of tho utmost importance that
in every precinct In every state in tho union
democrats effect- a thorough organization, using
that organization to see to it that every democrat
participates In the primaries of his party and
manifests Interest at tho electron. The Com
moner's primary pledge plan may bo used to good
advantage in these precinct organizations. Every
democrat should bo Induced to sign a primary
pledgo, promising to participate In every primary
electtQn.
It would be well if democratic neighbors got
acquainted with one another. They will bo sur
prised to find how much may bo accomplished for
their party and their country through an organ
ization beginning with a small number of faith
ful , democrats. This Is a good time for tho
democrat who has heretofore neglected his duty
to his party to turn over a new leaf.
Let democrats living in the same precinct
visit ono another, and whore there are no pre
cinct clubs soo that such organizations are made.
Whp.ro clubs havo been organized, let democrats
make it a point to attend their meetings regit"
larly, and in word and in deed give encourage-
. ment to their fellows. .
.' .The enemies of good government act as ono
, mari with unlimited means- at their disposal
Tho people have only their votes, ana they must
past them together or suffer defeat. Democrats
who believe their party should be a party of the
. people have it in their power througn systematic
organization to so shape their party's policies
and govern Its environment for tho 1908 cam
paign that it will command tho support of all
men who have grown weary of the exactions
made by special Interests.
JJJ
-.
THE CHICAGO ELECTION
Willie the result of the municipal election
In Chicago was not all that was desired, it was
a distinct victory for municipal ownership. Tho
people of Chicago approved the Issue of $75,
000,000" of certificates, the same to be used for ihe
purchase of the street railway lines. A majority
was required to .carry this proposition, but because-
the- proposition providing , for municipal
operation of the street railways failed to receive
tho necessary three-fifths , vote, that proposition
met defeat.
The first step will be to test the legality of
the $75,000,000 In certificates, and If tho courts
paBs favorably upon that point, the city of Chi
,cage may proceed to acquire., the street railway
lines. Mayor Dunne believes' that when the re
form has been pushed that far jt will be an easy
matter to obtain the formal consent of the peo
ple for the lines to be operated by the city
rather than leased to private parties.
Mayor Dunne and other advocates of munici
pal ownership in Chicago have made a brave
fight against mighty odds, for all of which they
are entitled to the thanks of the people of Chi
cago, and the thanks, also, of municipal owner
ship advocates everywhere who believe that a
fair test in tho city by the lake will result in the
establishment of the reform throughout the United
States
JJJ
TILLMAN AT THE OLD STAND
The Sioux City (Iowa) Journal, a republican
paper, says: "Senator Tillman Is said to be dis
pleased with the court review amendment that
has secured the approval of President Roosevelt.
The fact that It is called the White Hoti3e amend
ment would be enough to prejudice its case with
the pitchfork wielder if there was nothing else tho
matter with it."
Mr. Roosevelt repeatedly declared in favor of
the provisions which Mr. Tillman says are neces
sary for the protection of the public. It has all
along been claimed that those provisions repre
sented Mr. Roosevelt's doctrine. But that fact
did not stir Mr. Tillman's prejudices.
It has all along been claimed that railroad
rate legislation is Mr. Roosevelt's special prop
erty. But that claim did not stir the prejudices
of Mr Tillman nor of his democratic associates
on the committee; and it will be remembered
that the votes of democratic senators were re
quired in order to report the bill to the senate
Senator Tillman- demands that protection for
the public which Mr. Roosevelt has repeatedly
demanded, and if there be any difference between
the two gentlemen at this time, then Mr. Roose
velt has beaten a retreat, while the senator from
.South Carolina, true to his characteristics, Is do
ing business at the old stand.
ft
31
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